Head of Compliance, Protection of Civilians and Gender (AUSSOM)
Job Description
AU Values
• Respect for Diversity and Team Work • Think Africa Above all
• Transparency and Accountability • Integrity and Impartiality
• Efficiency and Professionalism • Information and Knowledge Sharing
Organization Information
Reports to: Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission (DSRCC)
Directorate/Department/Organ: Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security
Division:AU Support and Stabilization Mission in Somalia
Number of Direct Reports:1
Number of Indirect Reports:7
Job Grade: P5
Number of Positions:1
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Location: Mogadishu, Somalia
Purpose of Job
The Head of Compliance, Protection of Civilians and Gender reports to the Deputy Special Representative of the Chairperson of the Commission (DSRCC) and provides strategic leadership, policy guidance, oversight, and coordination on compliance, protection, gender, conduct and discipline, and accountability-related matters within the Mission area. The incumbent leads Mission-wide efforts aimed at ensuring compliance with applicable International Humanitarian Law (IHL), International Human Rights Law (IHRL), AU compliance frameworks, Protection of Civilians (PoC) obligations, child protection requirements, conduct and discipline standards, and gender mainstreaming commitments in support of the implementation of the AUSSOM mandate.
The Head of Compliance, Protection of Civilians and Gender supports Mission leadership in strengthening accountability, risk mitigation, protection mechanisms, prevention and response measures relating to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) / Sexual Harassment (SH), and institutional compliance systems across civilian, police, and military Mission components. The incumbent also leads strategic coordination, policy development, training oversight, compliance monitoring, stakeholder engagement and advisory functions relating to protection, human rights, gender, and accountability within a complex and high-risk operational environment.
Main Functions
• Leads the development, implementation, oversight, and monitoring of Mission-wide compliance, protection, gender, conduct and discipline, and accountability frameworks in support of the AUSSOM mandate and applicable AU policies and standards.
• Provides strategic policy guidance and technical advice to Mission leadership on IHL, IHRL, PoC, child protection, gender mainstreaming, conduct and discipline, and compliance-related matters.
• Oversees the integration of compliance, protection, gender, and accountability considerations across civilian, police, and military Mission components to support operational effectiveness and institutional accountability.
• Leads Mission-wide efforts aimed at strengthening compliance with AU compliance frameworks, applicable international legal standards, conduct and discipline requirements, and prevention and response measures relating to SEA / SH.
• Oversees the development and implementation of Mission policies, directives, guidance documents, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs), compliance mechanisms, and accountability measures relating to protection and gender-related thematic areas.
• Provides strategic oversight on compliance monitoring, risk mitigation, protection assessments, investigation support mechanisms, and accountability processes relating to allegations of violations of applicable standards and frameworks.
• Leads strategic coordination and engagement with Mission components, host authorities, AU structures, UN entities, humanitarian actors, civil society organizations, and relevant stakeholders on compliance, protection, gender, and accountability-related matters.
• Oversees training, awareness, capacity-building, and institutional strengthening initiatives relating to compliance, protection, human rights, conduct and discipline, child protection, and gender mainstreaming within the Mission area.
• Provides strategic reporting, assessments, briefings, and advisory support to Mission leadership on compliance, protection, accountability, and gender-related developments affecting the implementation of the AUSSOM mandate.
Specific Responsibilities
• Leads and oversees Mission-wide compliance, protection, gender, conduct and discipline, and accountability-related activities in support of the implementation of the AUSSOM mandate and applicable AU frameworks and standards.
• Provides strategic guidance and technical advice to Mission leadership, civilian, police, and military IHL, IHRL, PoC, child protection, gender mainstreaming, conduct and discipline, and accountability-related matters.
• Oversees the development, implementation, review, and monitoring of Mission policies, directives, SOPs, guidance documents, and compliance mechanisms relating to compliance, protection, gender, and accountability thematic areas.
• Leads Mission-wide efforts aimed at strengthening compliance with the AU Compliance and Accountability Framework (AUCF), the UN Human Rights Due Diligence Policy (HRDDP), conduct and discipline requirements, and applicable international legal and policy standards.
• Oversees compliance monitoring, risk mitigation measures, accountability mechanisms, investigation support processes, and institutional response measures relating to allegations of violations of applicable standards, including SEA/SH-related matters.
• Oversees the development, implementation, and monitoring of Mission compliance and accountability mechanisms relating to civilian harm mitigation, incident tracking, response measures, and related frameworks, including Civilian Casualty Tracking, Analysis and Response Cell (CCTARC) processes and associated SOPs.
• Provides strategic oversight and guidance on protection-related activities involving civilians, women, children, vulnerable populations, and affected communities within the Mission area.
• Leads strategic coordination and engagement with Mission components, host authorities, AU structures, UN entities, humanitarian actors, civil society organizations, and relevant stakeholders on compliance, protection, gender, human rights, and accountability-related matters.
• Oversees the development and implementation of Mission-wide training, awareness, sensitization, and capacity-building initiatives relating to compliance, protection, human rights, child protection, gender mainstreaming, conduct and discipline, and accountability frameworks.
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• Supports Mission leadership in integrating compliance, protection, gender, and accountability considerations into Mission planning, operational directives, policy processes, and decision-making activities.
• Oversees the preparation of strategic reports, assessments, briefing notes, compliance updates, analytical products, and advisory materials relating to Mission compliance, protection, accountability, and gender-related developments.
• Provides leadership, supervision, mentorship, and performance oversight to personnel within the Compliance, Protection and Gender component.
• Represents the Mission, as delegated, in strategic engagements, coordination mechanisms, technical meetings, and consultations relating to compliance, protection, human rights, accountability, and gender-related matters.
Academic Requirements and Relevant Experience
• Master’s degree in Law, Human Rights, International Humanitarian Law, International Relations, Political Science, Gender Studies, Peace and Conflict Studies, Social Sciences, Public Administration, or a related field with a minimum of twelve (12) years of progressively responsible professional experience, including at least seven (7) years at managerial level and five (5) years at supervisory level within complex operational or field mission environments.
• Advanced professional training or higher qualifications in IHL, IHRL, gender, protection, compliance, accountability, conduct and discipline, child protection, or related thematic areas is an added advantage.
• Experience in AU, UN, or other international peace support operations, particularly in conflict or post-conflict environments, is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated experience in compliance oversight, protection mainstreaming, gender integration, accountability mechanisms, conduct and discipline frameworks, or human rights advisory functions is required.
• Experience in policy development, strategic planning, institutional coordination, compliance monitoring, investigation support mechanisms, and risk mitigation processes is desirable.
• Experience engaging with governments, humanitarian actors, civil society organizations, multilateral institutions, and international partners on protection, compliance, accountability, and gender-related matters is desirable.
• Strong analytical, strategic reporting, policy advisory, stakeholder coordination, and leadership skills are required.
Required Skills
• Strong strategic leadership, policy advisory, coordination, and institutional oversight skills within complex operational and field mission environments.
• Excellent knowledge of AU compliance frameworks, IHL, IHRL, PoC, conduct and discipline standards, child protection, gender mainstreaming, accountability mechanisms, and protection-related frameworks applicable to peace support operations.
• Ability to provide strategic guidance and technical advice to Mission leadership and Mission components on compliance, protection, accountability, and gender-related matters.
• Strong analytical, policy development, risk assessment, strategic reporting, and briefing skills.
• Ability to oversee compliance monitoring, accountability mechanisms, investigation support processes, and institutional risk mitigation measures relating to Mission operations.
• Strong stakeholder engagement, negotiation, coordination, and partnership-building skills with governments, humanitarian actors, civil society organizations, multilateral institutions, and international partners.
• Ability to lead and coordinate Mission-wide training, awareness, sensitization, and capacity-building initiatives relating to compliance, protection, gender, conduct and discipline, and accountability frameworks.
• Ability to work effectively within integrated civilian, police, and military Mission structures and support Mission-wide policy alignment and operational coherence.
• Strong leadership, mentorship, team management, and performance management skills.
• Ability to maintain professionalism, sound judgment, confidentiality, impartiality, and accountability in handling sensitive compliance, protection, and human rights-related matters.
• Proficiency in the use of standard Microsoft Office applications, reporting systems, and information management tools.
• Proficiency in one of the AU official working languages is required. Knowledge of another AU working language is an added advantage.
Leadership Competencies
Core Competencies
Functional Competencies
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TENURE OF APPOINTMENT:
The Appointment will be made on a fixed term contract for a period of one (1) year, of which the first three (3) months will be considered as a probationary period. Thereafter, the contract may be renewed for a similar period subject to funding availability, satisfactory performance and agreed deliverables.
GENDER MAINSTREAMING:
The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.
LANGUAGES:
Proficiency in one of the AU working languages (Arabic, English, French, Kiswahili, Portuguese, and Spanish) is mandatory and fluency in another AU language is an added advantage.
REMUNERATION:
The salary attached to the position is an annual lump-sum of US$ 173,672.59 (P5 Step 5) inclusive of all allowances for internationally recruited staff, and US$ 127,823.64 inclusive of all allowances for locally recruited staff of the African Union Commission.
Applications must be submitted no later than July 13, 2026 11h59 p.m. EAT.
-Only candidates who meet all job requirements and are selected for interviews will be contacted.
-Consideration will be given only to those candidates who have submitted a fully completed online application with a curriculum vitae (CV), an African passport, and the required academic qualifications, such as Diplomas (Bac+2), Bachelor's degrees (Bac+3), Master's degrees (Bac+5) and any relevant certificate in line with the area of expertise.
-The African Union is an equal opportunity employer, and female candidates are strongly encouraged to apply.
-Candidates from least represented and underrepresented countries within the African Union are strongly encouraged to apply for positions that fit their profiles.
Least represented countries: Algeria, Angola, Cape Verde, Central African Republic, Comoros, DR Congo, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Libya, Madagascar, Mali, Mauritania, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Sahrawi D.R., Sao Tome and Principe, Seychelles, and Somalia.
Under represented countries: Congo, Mozambique, South Africa, Sudan and Tunisia.